Penstemon plant named &#39;Boysenberry Taffy&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Penstemon  plant characterized by large dark red purple flowers, long bloom time, showy dark purple seed capsules when young, upright, well branched habit, with multiple crown from the base, clean-looking, deep green, attractive foliage, and excellent vigor.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Penstemon hybrid

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Boysenberry Taffy’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Penstemon, given the name, ‘Boysenberry Taffy’. Penstemon is in the family Scrophulariaceae. This plant originated a controlled breeding plan to create a compact, upright, large flowered series. The exact parents are unknown, unnamed proprietary plants. This cultivar was selected for its compact growing habit, large flowers in dense clusters, long flowering time, vigor, and clean attractive look. It is an ideal plant for a sunny border in full sun.

Compared to Penstemon ‘Port Wine’ (an unpatented plant), the new cultivar is shorter and has a lighter flower color.

Compared to Penstemon ‘Raven’ (an unpatented plant), the new cultivar has a smaller flowers and the habit isn't as well branched.

Penstemon ‘Boysenberry Taffy’ is uniquely distinguished by its:

1. large dark red purple flowers,

2. long bloom time,

3. showy dark purple seed capsules when young,

4. upright, well branched habit, with multiple crown from the base,

5. clean-looking, deep green, attractive foliage, and

6. excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (cuttings and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttings and micropropagation using terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows the new cultivar in the trial field in full bloom in mid-July in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Penstemon cultivar based on observations of one year-old specimens grown outside in the ground in the trial beds in Canby, Oreg. in October. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—herbaceous perennial.         -   Form.—upright, branching.         -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 7-10.         -   Size.—grows to 60 cm wide and 60 cm high.         -   Vigor.—excellent.         -   Stem number.—about 10 stems from the crown.         -   Stem.—upright, grows to 49 cm long and 6 mm wide (at the             base), glabrous at base to glandular pubescent toward             peduncle, internodes grow to 4 cm long, Yellow Green 146B.         -   Rooting.—roots easily from stem cuttings. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—simple.         -   Arrangement.—opposite.         -   Shape.—lanceolate.         -   Venation.—pinnate, main vein on top and bottom side Yellow             Green 145C.         -   Margins.—entire.         -   Apex.—acuminate.         -   Base.—cuneate.         -   Blade size.—grows to 10 cm long and 2.5 cm wide.         -   Surface texture.—glabrous on both sides.         -   Leaf color.—topside Green 137A, bottom side closest to             Yellow Green 146A. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—terminal, many flowered, dense thyrse.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—about 40.         -   Size of inflorescence.—grows to 27 cm long and 11.5 cm wide.         -   Peduncle.—grows to 5 cm long and 4 mm wide, pubescent,             Yellow Green 146C.         -   Pedicel.—grows to 7 mm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent, Yellow             Green 146C in shade and Greyed Purple 183C in sun.         -   Bloom period.—mid June to frost in October in Canby, Oreg.             if spent flowers are removed. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—3 cm long and 13 mm wide.         -   Description.—closed tubular, bulging, flattened ventrically.         -   Color.—Purple N79C. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—zygomorphic, perfect.         -   Shape.—tubular, bilabiate.         -   Size.—grows to 4 cm long and 4 cm wide.         -   Corolla description.—grows to 4 cm long and 4 cm wide; tube             is funnel-form in the calyx for 5 mm long and 5 mm wide,             inflating for 25 mm and flaring to 16 mm wide, 5 lobes, the             two smaller top lobes flare back (each 13 mm wide and to 8             mm deep) and two larger lateral lobes flare out (15 mm wide             and 11 mm deep), and the lower lobe flares down (16 mm wide             and 12 mm deep), lobe margins entire to slightly jagged,             tips obtuse; outside glandular pubescent, inside sparsely             pubescent; outside color Purple N79B, inside color Purple             N79B lightening to N79C in tube.         -   Calyx description.—9 mm deep and 11 mm wide, 5 overlapping             lobes cut to the base, each lobe broadly ovate in shape, 9             mm deep and 8 mm wide, margins variable (entire, notched and             frilled), tip acute, base cuneate, both sides Greyed Purple             187A in high light and Yellow Green 146C in low light,             glabrous inside and glandular pubescent outside.         -   Pistil description.—1, 32 mm long, ovary 7 mm long and 3 mm             wide, Yellow Green 145A; style 25 mm long and less than 1 mm             wide, style Red Purple 61A on bottom half and White NN155C             on top half, stigma White NN155C.         -   Stamen description.—5, one sterile without an anther, held             within the corolla 14 mm long, filaments 25 to 30 mm long             and White NN155C, anthers 3 mm wide and 3 mm deep, Greyed             Purple N187A, pollen White NN155C.         -   Fragrance.—none.         -   Lastingness.—a flower lasts 5 to 6 days. -   Fruit:     -   -   Type.—capsule.         -   Fertility.—good.         -   Size.—1.7 cm deep and 7 mm wide.         -   Color.—Purple N79B before they dry out to Brown 200A. -   Seed:     -   -   Shape.—irregular.         -   Size.—2 mm long.         -   Color.—Brown 200A. -   Pests and diseases: The new cultivar is typical to the genus. No     known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have been found     in Canby, Oreg. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Penstemon plant substantially as shown and described. 